This one is a big one as well right now, today was the first time I have seen blue sky in Idaho in 2 weeks. We have had numerous evacs the last few weeks. Idaho seems to be the number one spot in the country then California and Montana.
Hope your Daughter is safe spokaneman.
Effective August 3, 2021, the area closure encompasses the headwaters of the St. Joe River, from Avery upstream. The eastern boundary is the Montana state line & the southern boundary is the border between the Idaho Panhandle National Forests and the Nez Perce Clearwater National Forest.
From US Forest Service:
Extreme Fire Behavior Prompts Expanded Area Closure on St. Joe Ranger District
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho (August 4, 2021) – On the evening of July 31, fires within the Stateline Complex were impacted by hot, windy weather. Above average temperatures, 25mph winds, & near-record-low fuel moisture of approximately 3%, converged into dangerous conditions and rapid fire growth. The Tumbledown fire, the largest within the Complex, made a nearly 5-mile wind-driven run downriver that exceeded existing closure boundaries. When considering area closures, fire managers and administrators carefully evaluate the balance between public land access and firefighter and public safety.
Factoring in recent fire behavior and growth, a new area closure has been issued for the St. Joe Ranger District. Effective August 3, 2021, the area closure encompasses the headwaters of the St. Joe River, from Avery upstream. The eastern boundary is the Montana state line and the southern boundary is the border between the Idaho Panhandle National Forests and the Nez Perce Clearwater National Forest. Roads that make up the area closure perimeter are not closed, but all roads and trails within the closure are. Moon Pass and the Route of the Hiawatha remain open.
An area closure will be issued shortly for the Trestle Creek Complex on the Sandpoint Ranger District to replace the previous road and trail closure. This Complex also saw rapid fire growth over the weekend that necessitated evacuations. No structures have been lost, and residents have since been downgraded to pre-evacuation status.
Maps and detailed descriptions of all active closures are provided on the Idaho Panhandle National Forests’ website (
https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/ipnf/alerts-notices). Statewide, interagency information on closures, fire perimeters and more is provided on the Idaho Department of Fish and Game’s Fire Map (
https://idfg.idaho.gov/ifwis/maps/realtime/fire/).